Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 23,084, Jeremiah Gay, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Gay, Jeremiah Lydia
N. 23084
CONTENTS

Massachusetts 930
Lydia Gay (6) widow of Jeremiah Gay dec'd.
Mar 1811 in 1811 of Middlesex in the State of Mass a who was a P t & Corp l in the Company commanded by Captain _____ of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Mass a line for 6 months 11 days private 8 " Corporal
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass a at the rate of 50 - Dollars - 56 - Cents per annu m to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of May 1837 and sent N. Baldwin Boston Mass a
Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $ 303.36 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. " 25.28
$329.64
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3.
Recorded by N.H. Addison Clerk Book 7 Vol. Page 5
2 Let to N. Baldwin August 19 45

(1) I Ephraim Stevens of Needham, County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Being sworn do on Oath testify and declare That I am in the seventy seventh year of my Age and That I have resided in Said Town of Needham ever since I was nine years Old; That I was well acquainted with many soldiers who served in the War of the Revolution, from Needham and Natick and elsewhere. I knew Mr John Bacon and Jeremiah Gay of Needham The former a Lieutenant, the latter a private Soldier in the year 1775 in Captain Keltons Company of Colonel Patersons Regiment. Then Stationed at Winter Hill near Boston. Said Jeremiah Gay was an Eight Months man. I often saw him at No 2 doing duty as a Soldier in the vicinity of Boston during his said service as above stated
Said Jeremiah served other tours of service during the War aforesaid, as I always understood and believed, in the year 1776 at Tyconderoga, and in the state of New York, at Westpoint in the year 1780, but I do not know under what Officers; Said Jeremiah was in the War of the Revolution for several years in succession, and according to the best of my recollection as much as three years, by several Enlistments. Said Jeremiah always informed me That he served in the artillery at Tyconderoga in the year 1776.
I am well acquainted with Lydia Gay the Widow of said Jeremiah, she is believed to be one hundred years old. she has not married since the death of her late Husband said Jeremiah Gay, who died over twenty six years since.
Middlesex J. January 11 th 8 th  month 1845 1497. Stevens

Macclessex ss Be it known that on this Eleventh Day of January 1839 Then personally appeared the within named Ephraim Stephens who has subscribed and made oath to the truth of the within affidavit by him subscribed
I certify that said Ephraim Stevens is a respectable Inhabitant of Needham, whose testimony is entitled to full credit and belie- f William Garrison Justice of Peace

Bulah Hammond aged sixty nine years, do depose & say, that I am the only daughter of Lydia Gay of Natick, widow - that my father was Jeremiah Gay formerly of Needham who died about thirty years ago last July - His widow my mother has lived with me about forty two years last past - He is as near as I can learn, about one hundred years old - I had two brothers one of whom the oldest is now resident in Scituate aged about seventy four - I well remember seeing my father the said Jeremiah Gay set out on his march for the army at least three several cam- paigns - I also recollect his coming home on a furlough - From what I heard at the time of my recollection of the names of places, I believe he was in the first eight months service & also in service in York State in the year 1876 as I have heard him talk a good deal about Peskkill & White Plains - I have heard him tell about battles in which he was engaged, but I am unable to remember particulars, as I was young & as he died so long ago, that my memo- ry has become confused as to his various narra- tives of events - My father & mother always lived together as man & wife & treated each other as such nor did I ever hear the fact of there being law- fully married called in question by any one - My mother the said Lydia Gay has lived a widow ever since his death
Middlesex ss. Jan'y 11 th - 1837 - Bulah Hammond
Then personally appeared Bulah Hammond, whom I believe to be a very respectable & credible person & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by her subscrip- tion before me J. P. Gay Wood & Ham.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
Middlesex County ss. } On this twelfth Day of January in in the year of our Lord Eighteen- Hundred & Thirtyseven Personally appeared before the Hon. Samuel P. P. Fay Judge of the Court of Probate for Middlesex County in said com- monwealth, Lydia Gay a resident in Natick in said County of Middlesex and Commonwealth aforesaid Aged One Hundred years Who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her Oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit made by the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4 th 1836. That she is the widow of Jeremiah Gay late of said Natick deceased — That said Jere- miah was a soldier in the war of the revolution & served three or four campaigns or periods which she can recol- -lect during the said war, but she remembers no partic- ulars of his service, or under what officers he served — She remembers that he was out in the commencement of the war & she believes the following year & other years, but whe- ther immediately after or not she cannot tell —
She further states that she was married to the said Jeremiah Gay at Fitchburg, in Worcester County by the minister of that town whose name she thinks was Foster, but of this is not certain — She cannot tell when she was married precisely, but knows it was long before the year 1775 — as she then had several children — When the war broke out she then husband lived in that part of Needham which is now Natick — She states that her said husband died a great many years ago, but what year she cannot tell, but that she has lived a widow ever since —
Lydia her Gay
Subscribed to her mark & sworn to, in her own dwelling house in Natick, she being decrepit & unable to go from home by reason of extreme age before me, the day & year aforesaid —
J. P. P. Fay Prob.

And the said judge of Probate hereby declares his opinion after investigation of the matter & consideration of the evidence offered that the statement of the applicant aforesaid is true - That said Lydia Gay was the lawful wife of the said Jeremiah Gay & has lived a widow ever since his decease - That said Jeremiah served as a private in the army of the revolution more than two years in all & died about thirty years ago. That Said Lydia Gay's memory & other mental faculties are very much impaired by age & are quite feeble, but as far as her memory serves she is a credible person - she is clearly incapable of fraud - and her memory appears distinct & positive as to the facts stated in her declaration -
J. P. Gay Probate
1338 Lydia Gay widow of Jeremiah Gay deceased no 15-183- Mno copy 75 no 4-183- Boston 1780-82 for bene. 118 pgs -  John G Mno. copy 6-183 fine  original no duplicates  R. Waldo Doctor
Commonwealth of Massachusetts I Isaac Fisher Register of the Court of Probate in Dukes for the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth aforesaid hereby certify that the foregoing is the original proceeding of said Court in the matter of the application of Lydia Gay for a Pension on the right of her late husband & that Samuel P. Gay is the judge of said Court duly commissioned & qualified & that the signatures thereto written are the genuine signatures of said Parker & to the Parker has attested the same his genuine signature. - I also certify that William Morris is a true copy of the Pension written to the said County of Middlesex and that the signature written to the deposition of Esther Morris is her genuine signature. - In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of said Court this ninth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven
Isaac Fisher

Rev WIDOW, &c.
(7)
File No. 23084
Lydia Gay widow of Jeremiah Gay Coop. Rev. Mass
Act: July 4 th 36
Index:—Vol. A , Page 264
[Arrangement of 1870.]

(44) Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex County ss.
I Isaac Boston Overseer of the Court of Probate in & for the said County of Middlesex, hereby certify that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited that Lydia Gay widow of Jeremiah Gay late of Natick in said County County, who in her life time applied for an Pension under the United States, was a resident of said Natick & died at said Natick on the twelfth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty seven, & that she left one child only to wit Beulah Hammond, who is still living.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court this Eighth day of July A D 1845.
Isaac Boston

Sir. Boston. July 9 th 1845.
(5)
I transmit herewith the Certificate of the Secretary of State, of the service of Jeremiah Gay, in the Army of the Revolutionary War, which Certificate is presented as proof, in support of an increase of the pension, originally granted to Mrs Lydia Gay, the widow of said Jeremiah, under the Act 4 th July 1836. accompanying the above mentioned Certificate, is a Probate Certificate, shewing the time of the death of the Pensioner & the name of her only legitimate child.
Be pleased to give this case the usual course of investigation, & forward the result to me.
Very Respectfully Sir I am Your Obedient Servant Reuben Baldwin
James L. Edwards Esqr. Commr of Pensions, Washington

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston;
June 27 1845.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Jeremiah Gay of Needham is borne upon a return of Capt. Samuel Tilton's comp in Col. John Pattersons regt in the 8 months' service of 1775 as a corporal, and upon a coat roll of the same dated "Camp N o 3, Nov 20;" — enlisted April 21; — As a private upon a pay roll of the West Comp y of militia in Needham, in Col. W m McIntosh's regt, commanded by Capt. Aaron Smith, marched in March 1776, to assist in taking possession of, and fortifying Dorchester Heights, 4 days, and 36 miles travel; — as a corporal, upon a pay roll of Capt. Eben. Battles' Comp y in Col. M c Intosh's regt, marched to Roxbury, March 23, 1778, including allowance for travel, 15 days; — Upon "a pay roll of the men belonging to Needham, that served in the Continental Army six months" — viz from July 26 1780 to Jan y 26, 1781, including allowance for 220 miles
Justice Gay. rec
8-6 a.m. 8-27 C 4 6-11 -6 15 p.m.

travel, 6 months, 11 days; — the name of said Gay is also borne upon a descriptive list of the 6 mos. men from Needham and other towns marched from Springfield under the care of Capt. Dorr to join the Army, July 26, 1780; — The name of Jeremiah Gay is also borne upon a list of the 9 months men in Capt. Marshall's Comp y , Col. Marshall's reg t , as a private from Aug. 26 1779 to May 24 1780 : — the names of the towns to which the men belonged, are not given upon this list, but the names of several of the soldiers who were with him in the 6 months' service above described, were also in the same company, in this last named service, and there is no other person of the same name from
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
{ any other part of the country, shown by the records in this office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Parsons, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

1194 Jeremiah Gay of Natick.
Lydia Gay his widow
Lydia Gay

Boston April 18 th 1845.
Sir
Jeremiah Gay of Natick performed several tours of Military duty during the continuance of the Revolutionary War, some of which was proved particularly one of 8 months duration 1775, in Capt Kelton's Company of Col Patterson's Regiment. Other services not proved.
Lydia Gay his widow, has received a Small Pension for a part of the alleged service of her late husband. The N o of her Certificate is 930.
The above mentioned case has been presented for a Search, but the letter, has been lost or mislaid.
Be pleased to authorise a Search for the name of said Jeremiah Gay, on the Mass ts Revolutionary Rolls.
Yours Most Respectfully Reuben Baldwin Agent.
Hon. J. C. Palfrey. Secretary of State of Mass ts .
Present.

21 Feb Rubus Baldwin Case Lydia Gay General Bacon Oct 4 1836 1338 1339
No Court 1836
Revolutionary Pension claims under 3 Section of Act of 4 July 1836 James L Edwards Esquire Commissioner of Pensions Washington

Boston Massachusetts
February 17 th 1837
Sir
I transmit herewith the papers and documents in support of the claim to a Pension by Zeruah Bacon Widow of Lieutenant John Bacon dec d and also of Mrs Lydia Gay Widow of Jeremiah Gay, dec d claiming for them respectively Pensions under the Act of Congress passed July 4 1836. Should the above Claims be considered admissible, you will please issue Certificates in Satisfaction thereof, and forward them directed to me at this place.
I would at this time take the liberty to observe that for three months past I have received very few returns to the many applications sent on to the Department, and am daily importuned by the aged Widows over their Children as to the reasons of this long delay in the adjustment of their Claims, and I am unable to give them any satisfactory reason, I respectfully request you to enable me to satisfy their frequent enquiries
Very respectfully
Sir I am Your Obst ly
Reuben Baldwin
James L. Edwards Esq Com d Pens ns Washington